This invention relates to a flame retardant composition and more particularly to a flame retardant aqueous composition for use in impregnating cellulosic material and textile fibers.
Cellulosic materials such as paper, wood, cotton and the like are commonly used for household and commercial applications. Such materials are highly flammable and when ignited the fire spreads rapidly. Nevertheless, such materials are commonly used. Accordingly, a number of methods for treating such materials to reduce their flammability have been developed. However, such methods may be inadequate for today""s standards, may prove too costly for the commercial market, provide too little protection against fire and smoke and result in products with other shortcomings.
The use of cellulosic products which are treated with fire retardant materials frequently involve human beings, who incorporate such products in a confined space as for example in a home, kitchen or other room. Therefore the products must provide a safe environment and at the same time provide a pleasing appearance particularly when the products are made of particle board. Therefore the use of volatile or harmful solvents should be minimized and preferably avoided.
It is also important to eliminate volatile or harmful solvents which could cause problems during a process for treating cellulosic material with a flame retardant agent. Further, it is important that any treatment minimizes the likelihood of chemical exuding from the processed material. It is also important that any chemical treatment should not produce or release toxic substances onto the surface of a product.
Conventional methods for treating cellulosic materials such as particle board and the like typically include the application of salts of phosphoric acid, boric acid etc. Other methods use various organic solvent systems. Both of such methods may be economical, but often result in crystallization of salts on the surface of a wood product. In addition, such methods may result in migration of undesirable chemicals to the surface of products made thereby. The solvents used are often volatile during the application of the flame retardants and exude from the finished products.
It has also been recognized that ammonium phosphates are among the more effective inorganic fire retardants which are commonly used to treat cellulosic materials. Such phosphates are typically present as diammonium phosphate, monoammonium phosphate or simple or complex mixtures of such phosphates. Fire retardants of this type are prepared by reacting aqueous phosphorous acid with an alkaline oxide such as ethylene oxide.
A more recent approach to provide a non-blooming fire retardant composition is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,045 of Wagner. As disclosed therein, an ammonium phosphate-containing fire retardant includes an effective amount of boric acid or alkali metal borate. The ammonium phosphate-containing fire retardant comprises a reaction mixture of aqueous phosphoric acid and an alkylene oxide. Boric acid or alkali metal borate is present in an amount of from about 2.5 to about 12 percent by weight of solids.
It is now believed that there may be a large commercial demand for an improved fire retardant cellulosic products in accordance with the present invention. It is believed that this demand extends to a fire retardant particle board which has improved heat and flame resistance. A demand for an improved fire retardant cellulosic material is further supported by the products"" enhanced properties. For example, such products do not include toxic substances and produce minimal smoke when exposed to heat and/or open flame. Accordingly, there is no harmful vapor or toxic substance to deal with during the manufacturing process.
In addition, products in accordance with the present invention do not exude toxic substances during or after manufacture or when exposed to high temperatures and/or open flame. Further the chemicals incorporated do not migrate to the surfaces or result in unsightly blemishes. Finally it is believed that the products as disclosed herein can be manufactured in a cost effective manner and brought to market at a competitive price.
In essence, the present invention contemplates a fire retardant aqueous solution for use in impregnating cellulosic material and textile fiber. The aqueous solution contains monoammonium phosphate and diammonium phosphate and a metal hydroxide. The solution contains from about 0.35 and 0.95 moles per liter of monoammonium phosphate, from 0.35 and 0.95 moles per liter of diammonium phosphate and from about 4.375 and 11.875 grams per liter of a metal hydroxide.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the solution contains between about 4.17 to about 5.97 percent by weight monoammonium phosphate and from about 4.78 to about 6.85 percent by weight diammonium phosphate. In addition, the solution in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention contains between about 0.45 and about 0.65 percent by weight aluminum hydroxide and less than 0.5 percent by weight and preferably 0 percent by weight additives i.e., materials other than monoammonium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, aluminum hydroxide and water.
The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawings.